Mobile Phones in Thailand

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Executive Summary

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TRENDS

With improved wireless technology and affordable mobile devices and plans, possession of smartphones continues to rise as consumers increasingly look to be connected. Thai consumers are among the heaviest users of smartphone data in the region and regularly use smartphones to connect to social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as for streaming of video and music, chat applications, gaming and voice over IP apps.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The most popular feature phone brand in 2017 was Nokia, which accounted for some 42% of volume sales. Nokia was one of the earliest feature phone brands to enter Thailand and enjoys a strong image in terms of durability, battery life, user friendliness and value for money. During the review period, Nokia reintroduced an upgraded version of its Nokia 3310 model, which was a bestseller more than 17 years ago. The new version is thinner, lighter, comes with a 2 million pixel camera and has longer battery life that can last up to 25 days, while retailing at an affordable price of around THB1,900. This has revived demand for feature phones for those that need only basic features, such as elderly consumers, especially in rural areas. The other top brands are Samsung and i-Mobile, a local offering. However, all brands experienced a drop in volume sales in 2017 as consumers continue to switch and upgrade to smartphones.

PROSPECTS

Consumers are expected to become more connected using their smartphones for many daily activities. This will also drive demand for other consumer electronics that are compatible with their smartphones. However, as the rate at which feature phones are replaced with smartphones is expected to drop and as more and more consumers already have smartphones, the growth of new first-time purchases of smartphones will slow. Sales growth will therefore depend on how manufacturers can innovate and upgrade the technology of newer smartphone models.

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